The centre of gravity for trousers and jackets is considerably higher, shoulders are wider, as are waists to a lesser degree, and lapels are more obvious: for AW 2016 the Corneliani man builds his style by looking to the fashion of the 1940s.

He analyses, masters and revitalizes it, interpreting it through the lens of contemporary language, where elegance wavers between two extremes: essential versatility and the supreme quality of the details, an increasing indicator of class and shaper of personality.

This is the framework for a much softer, more rounded, deconstructed, lighter style, fashioned most appealingly from exquisite, enveloping materials.

The retro feel – from crocheted details on the waistcoats to micro-geometric effects borrowed from the archives and herringbones, so subtle they look like pinstripes both micro and macro – reflects 1940s elegance in the shape of caramel, bark brown and tobacco coloured suits and peacock green and lead grey jackets, both single and double breasted.

Mid-length cashmere coats are oversized and designed to be tied at the waist; the nylon trench is ultra-lightweight, while stitching and astrakhan touches play down the sporty look of the bomber jacket.

The stiff, textured feel of post-Second-World-War fashion is hinted at subtly in the contours of the designs, which break away from the body to restore a sense of independent strength to fashion, all with a whisper of nostalgia.

It is the art of tailoring which dictates the rules for Corneliani, even when they are overturned. While rigorous construction and exquisite materials – cotton, linen and silk through to the results of the highest textile technology – remain untouched, it is the volumes which are fashioning a new language.

At the heart of the revolution lies the body’s centre of gravity, sending out concentric waves of elegance with opposite meanings. They are instantly embraced and taken to such heights of sophistication and synthesis that only the faintest hint remains of the original dichotomy: there are whispered tribal echoes, as seen in the neo-Prince of Wales patterns and flattened matting effects, and in the trousers with outstanding pleats, a nod to the sarongs worn by ancient man. More than a mere accessory, the longer waistband which clinches the waist becomes a frontal structural feature which celebrates the return of the high waist.

The same non-conformist rigour is found in the new suit, which now comes with Bermuda shorts too. Supremely elegant pinstripes trace vertical lines on linen designs, creating a degree of lightness which only the independence of inborn class can afford.

Trench coats come with large pleats on the back, in lengths which fall gracefully to the calf, taking the pockets with them – sartorial details which are now filled with spontaneous style. Squared-off jackets are almost surgical in feel, while cuts are stripped down to a minimum in the ultra-simple loose leather T-shirts.

Colours are never intense, but rather delicately powdery, suspended in the atmosphere of a desert sunset. Periwinkle sky blue, sandy beige and the palest stone grey are lit up by a sunshine amaranth red.

What emerges is an independent personality, rooted so firmly in the rules of elegant style that it enables the Corneliani man to make the decisive jump on his pathway to freedom.

From a multitude of styles and languages there emerges the figure of man as a prince: young and confident, free and determined. He is aware of the choices afforded him, and adores change. He reacts to the immobility of form with eccentric touches and unexpected flourishes, such as overcoats finished with a generous knitted shawl collar or a fur biker jacket.

His wardrobe is surprising for its noble fabrics, from knotted wool with a three- dimensional or carded finish and graduated grey mink – needled with exclusive yarn wefts – to cashmere designs with leather details; they multiply the many different solutions reflecting the identity of Corneliani’s prince, as multi-faceted and sophisticated as the natural world around him.

The fusion between formal and luxury casual is emphasized by the dominance of blue and grey, centred on a type of elegance open to different solutions. In this world, varying styles and freedom of movement blend together to control the chaos of nature.

Choosing a long double-breasted overcoat does not rule out single-breasted designs or parkas and short jackets embellished with fur trimming or generous peak lapels. There’s no time for ties: instead there are small neck scarves to round off the luxurious, totally unrestricted image.

Closer-fitting jackets still flow easily with dropped shoulders and comfortably sized sleeves.
Pleated trousers are soft over the hips but end in a drainpipe design which brushes the ankles. The shoes capture a philosophy which combines the modern and the classic: traditional designs come with thicker soles to keep the feet firmly in contact with reality.

A penchant for graphic-style patterns – some of them optical – shadows a gentle world of graduated, slightly distorted and irregular designs, ending in a flourish of floral prints on the knitwear.

Blue – from ink to more brilliant shades – is offset by subtle plant-like greens; sudden flashes of purple break through into the palette of greys, from the lightest, brightest tones through to black and white, also seen in monochrome versions.

Eponymous with strength and stability, a deeply-rooted tree encapsulates the brand’s ties to its values: the finest tailoring is fundamental but reworked with the freedom of an ideal contemporary world close to nature, as interpreted by Corneliani’s prince in a new take on refined elegance.

The spotlight is on every possible shade of white – from ice and cream to pearl and mastic, through to delicate powdery sky blues and sage greens – and its direct counterpart, black: a timeless keynote and the only concession to dark colours.

Menswear is moving away from more rigid templates towards a fresh, new, easier take on elegance inspired by younger wardrobes but embellished with luxurious fabrics and stylish details.

The rule is to wear one size larger than usual: laidback streetwear echoes the free spirits who express themselves on the streets of a fast-paced world as it reacts to the uncertainties of the present, always ready to grasp what comes its way.

The structure of the jacket is never restrictive: it does not overlook the sartorial ethic – that historic bastion of elegance so dear to Corneliani – but reinterprets it, retracing the needs of a man far-removed from the static self-contemplation of the past.

Clothes reflect a lifestyle based on constant movement, in a dialogue between very different scenarios. This form of elegance is comfortable and universal, ideal for a range of occasions and age groups, for men who are not restricted by increasingly outmoded, rigid masculinity.

The brand’s creative director Sergio Corneliani sees the suit as the real challenge. Designed around unusual volumes, innovative materials and new uses, it loses its inflexible imprint and takes on a democratic, informal look in a perfect blend of subtle bohemian style and chic sportswear.

Classic sartorial patterns have been swept aside in favour of rich compact stretch cottons, blended with silk in micro jacquard effects.
The jacket is short and looser on the waist, with three buttons and narrow lapels.

It is worn with baggy trousers (with pleats) which drape over the shoes, or designs without pleats which are comfortable on the hips but always short and with turn-ups. There is also a revolution in the classic shirt, now looser in style with lower shoulders and a funnel neck.

The must-have piece for spring/summer 2015 is the T-shirt in soft leather or ultra- lightweight cashmere printed with monochrome graphics.A symbol of Corneliani’s new aesthetics is the square-shaped blouson jacket which sits just above the hips.

White shirt, black tie and tartan: these are the constants that define the contemporary dandy at Corneliani, a man who constructs his elegant style with his intellect, a man for whom good taste demands continual exposure to new cultural inspirations.

Luxury is not an end in itself. Rather, it announces itself, direct and insouciant, in the premium materials that make up a wardrobe of understated sophistication, where deepest blue and black dominate an evergreen colour palette relieved by the many shades of grey and natural hues, freshened by a refined dash of moss green.

Sergio Corneliani, Creative Director at the Mantuan maison, has dreamed up a contemporary dandy who is elegant and discreetly knows it. Time languidly spent in literary salons putting on a confident style has given way to the complexities of the metropolis and the most modern ways – and means – of communicating, for a dynamic, fluid and efficient everyday lifestyle.

Hence, the jacket sits easy at the waist, and the cut of the shoulder is soft and natural. The elongated silhouette is tempered by the crisp but short trousers, without the afterthought of a turn-up.

The coat is as fulsomely long as ever, with a half-belt or to wear with a belt. The clean, minimal design of the biker-style jacket with its matte-finish crocodile stands out, creating an unostentatious matte look, reflected in the ample bags to be carried in the hand. Nor does the mink add pointless pomp, shaved as if to mimic super-soft velvet adorning jackets with clean lines or zip-up heavy jackets.The sportiest garments tend to the subtly generous in size, evoking geometries and patterns on a square-shape theme.

The strictly cashmere suit is impeccable in the ash-grey fine Prince of Wales check, brown bird’s eye, or the sobriety of solid dark blue and jet black. And the knitwear keeps evolving with a wealth of original variants: in the sleeves of the jersey parka, and in a highly desirable variety of leather or sheepskin short jackets right up to the cardigan / heavy jacket in an easy Black Watch tartan and the jumper with jacquard effect courtesy of interwoven leather threads.

The collection expertly underlines the value of sartorial savoir-faire with an innovative twist, where the blue-green tartan pattern – which finds expression in the overcoat and the jacket, in the trousers, the heavy jacket and even the bag inserts – becomes the iconic motif of the autumn/winter 2014 wardrobe by Corneliani, the exponent of a style imbued with the power of tradition for over half a century.

From Mantua to Shanghai via Sumatra. For Spring/Summer 2014, the Corneliani man stretches his horizons to the edges of the Far East, the fashion system’s new centre of gravity, an increasingly cosmopolitan destination by a blend of customs and new cultures.

Sergio Corneliani, the Mantua-based company’s Creative Director, has traced the legendary routes of Marco Polo to explore a sophisticated concept of contemporary elegance. “It’s impossible to think about fashion without pushing our boundaries.

We must consider the needs of the global market, which is characterised by the existence of different styles and cultures and constantly evolving taste.

Today’s man is a ‘travelling man’ who wants an invaluable, high quality wardrobe on his travels that reflects traditional tailoring but also with special, personalised details.

Taking these cornerstones as my starting point, I designed a collection steeped in cultural meanings, memories and influences, attempting to mix the sobriety that is typical of our company with more exotic touches.

“I took my inspiration from Mantua, my home town and a centre for Renaissance art, to reinterpret Andrea Mantegna’s work for the Bridal Chamber in the Castle of St. George, borrowing his decorative theme of interlinked circles as the leitmotiv for the wardrobe and sometimes laser-printing them onto leather.

The distinguishing detail is the Nehru collar with visible sartorial stitching.”
It is precisely this jacket that reflects the mood of the collection, a melting pot of western aesthetics and oriental style in glossy, brilliant fine pure silk and silk/linen-mix fabrics.

The more opaque fabrics too are enlivened by bright colours, such as a touch of aquamarine paired with black and white in the shantung suit, or splashes of faded cherry red on loose-weave cotton knits, as well as timeless blue, in a range of shades up to indigo, found in the suits, trench coats and pea coats.

The brighter shades of yellow, gold and ochre are inspired by China and make the silk jackets sumptuous, while softer, sophisticated colours are used on the strips of knitted leather.

Mantegna’s influence can also be seen in the little circles on the honey-coloured punched leather jackets with Nehru collar and in the zip-up pea jacket in ultra-light nylon. The lines of the jacket are tapered with small lapels that create a slender, longer silhouette, emphasised by closer-fitting trousers.

A fine touch of subtle intellectual exoticism in the informal brown silk and linen suit with “relaxed jacket” is interwoven with a style whose roots lie in meticulous tailoring traditions and irreplaceable hand-crafted techniques.

Quality, exclusivity and comfort are distinguishing features of Italian fashion and a tradition for Corneliani, which has been taking its brand of elegance around the world for over 50 years.

SPRING SUMMER WOMEN 2016

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SPRING SUMMER MEN 2016

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